Estonia is one of the greenest countries in Europe and the world. To see this and immerse yourself in the treasure trove of Estonian nature, go to the country’s largest national park, Lahemaa. You can get there from Tallinn by car or bus, taking the direction towards the Russian boundary. The road to the main natural landmark of the country will take about an hour’s drive.

Start your journey with a visit to the Lahemaa National Park Visitor Center, located in the old Palmse Manor. It is a picturesque complex of Baroque buildings on the lakeshore if we judge its exterior. But inside, it is a spacious exhibition facility with a permanent exhibition, slideshows, short films, and other informative materials on the Lahemaa National Park. Here you can also admire the authentic interiors of the 18th-19th centuries, have a snack in a tavern, buy gifts from local craftswomen and plan your next move.

Visitors to Lahemaa can use the 11-kilometer Kasmu Cycling Trail, eleven educational trails ranging from one to seven kilometers, and six hiking trails from five to forty kilometers. You can walk through most of them in just one day.

Lahemaa is a real gem for wildlife lovers. The national park is home to brown bears, wolves, wild boars, elk, lynx, and other game. Europe can’t boast of many other places like that with such a variety of large forest animals. However, it is unlikely you will see any as they try to stay away from people. Anyway, you can try your luck at the Oandu forest nature trail, favored by elks. While walking through the mysterious ancient forest, you may see at least one.

The Lahemaa National Park is not just scenic Estonian nature but also settlements where locals strive to preserve and follow their traditional way of life and practices. For example, you can get to know the captains’ village of Kasmu or the Altja fishing village.